Daypart based navigation paradigm

Abstract

A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for providing media program information to a user is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of accepting a command to provide a menu guide from a plurality of menu guides defining a media program information space segmented by a daypart, wherein the menu guide is associated with a first daypart, and providing a menu guide comprising a menu guide content portion presenting at least some of the media program information. The apparatus comprises a receiver having a tuner for receiving the media program and the media program information, a processor, communicatively coupled to the tuner for providing a menu guide having a menu guide content portion presenting at least some of the media program information, wherein the menu guide is selectable from a plurality of menu guides together defining a program information space segmented by a daypart. The foregoing daypart-based presentation of the media program information provides for an efficient use of display space by initially providing information programs the user is likely to be interested in, while still permitting the user to intuitively navigate to other media program information as well.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 253,303, entitled “DAYPART BASED NAVIGATION PARADIGM,” by Taber B. Noble, filed Nov. 27, 2000, which application is hereby incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to systems and methods for presenting data regarding media programs to subscribers, and in particular to a method and apparatus for navigating media program information based on a daypart paradigm.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Program guides for television programming are known in the art. A common method for obtaining television programming information is by consulting paper television programming guides or schedules. This method of disseminating information, however, has limitations. A paper guide may become obsolete or a schedule may change, rendering the paper copy useless. Additionally, the paper ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021]The menu guide paradigm described herein enhances the amount of useful, usable, navigable and program pertinent information it is possible to display in an interactive NTSC-based environment. This is accomplished through development of this vastly more scalable, integrated user interface.

[0034]Finally, the present invention can be easily implemented with a simple user input device.

Problems solved by technology

This method of disseminating information, however, has limitations.

A paper guide may become obsolete or a schedule may change, rendering the paper copy useless.

Additionally, the paper schedule may easily be lost.

Due largely to resolution limitations, conventional scheduling grids are ill suited to present the increased number of available media programs to the user in a meaningful way.

This substantially limits the amount of information that can be presented at one time.

Such limitations are especially problematic for scheduling grids, because the grids present information the viewer is not interested in (channels time slots that are not of interest), and not enough information about what the viewer is interested in (more detailed information about future broadcasts on the current channel or other channels).

Current grid guides, especially those that incorporate a PIG or “picture in guide” suffer as channel capacity and therefore information density increases.

Reduced screen real estate brought on by the video window results in limited viewable time line (1.5 hrs ahead is typical), limited channel display area, limited space for program descriptions, limited overall legibility and cumbersome navigation.

All of these factors negatively impact the real world usefulness of a grid guide.

When taken on whole, a “snap shot” of the most sophisticated grid guide exhibits a remarkable lack of useful information.

System latencies slow the highlighting process.

Incorporating advertising, whether in the grid or blocked along side will impact the information capacity even further.

However, this increases visual clutter and decreases legibility.

Cumbersome and complex graphic “animations” must be employed to display second level information in the limited screen real estate.

While the program guide permits the user to view a wide range of information, it still suffers the same limitations as the grid guides of old in that it presents information that the user is not interested in and does not present information that the user is likely to be interested in.

The resulting waste of display real estate requires the user to pass through a maze of complicated commands with far more user inputs than is really necessary.

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